Be Open Needs Editors!
Looking forward for your applications! Please read our criteria and editor's duties.
UPDATED! We're temporary closed for new editors application!
The editor duties has been updated on December, 2022. You can read it fully here:
Hallo all! I’m A Shayens Abran, the owner and sole editor of Be Open publication.
As well as feel surprised that I found myself (with limited writing skills) have become a writer (and can earn some money too :-) in this amazing platform, Medium, I also almost couldn't believe to create and manage a publication, Be Open. It felt far for me to be a leader and make connection and coordination with writers and handle their submissions. But here I am, I can do things beyond my comfort zone!
I feel glad to have the right name for this publication, Be Open, after knowing that so much people feel related to it. Yes, from some writer's testimonials, it showed that in Be Open, they feel supported to be free, to open up, to tell personal stories, to make confession, to share opinions and their personal tips which oftentimes I found amazing, inspiring, interesting and special.
They told me, Be Open is like new oasis for them to express who they are, what they think, and whom their stories purposed for. They see Be Open can sincerelly accept their opinions, tolerate their plain writings or having liberty to share writings in any forms, from poetry to fiction, from daily activities to deeply written essay. They like find an open and friendly space on those issues in Be Open because we had been carving out a space for those left-sided communities.
Yes, beside the writers who've chosen us immediately because they see we have the same mission and match with their writings, it seems likely that many writers chose Be Open with intentions to share their honest thoughts and personal experiences which sometimes end up only published in their homepage after getting repeated rejections because of not qualify for some publications due to the quality or too specific/personal topics.
With this openness, even since Be Open created, I could see promising signs. Our subscriber base is growing steadily, and there's also increasing amounts of writers who eagerly sharing their great contents here. Our readers will find various topic, various style, various writings from shallow but still interesting pieces to professional content created by, example; Ed-iT . From daily rants and chores to thoughtful writings about earth by Toni Colombo Sceriff. From fantasy fiction by B. J. Vanderhoof to so deep life philosophy by Pretheesh Presannan. From beautiful poetic pieces by Shams and Cameron Sidhe to personal musings about own life stories by Doreen Barker or Rhonda Maron.
Through Be Open, I can see world from another people’s perspective, example from the eye of LGBT writers; Rebecca Herz, James Drysdale and Alex. Some writers make their stories hilarious to read too, as one of our exellent writer; Skippy von Alte Welt :-)
There are also authors who don't afraid to show their unique personalities through their stories, like Felishia La-Shae or Darius Butkevicius. or writer who always gives any great tips based on their personal experiences and also sharing inspiring and heart touching memories like D- Anne Jennings or Ginger S. Thank you all our 200+ writers who had made our contents rich!
Why I need to recruit editors?
Though I'm as an Aspergers and introverts tend to feel comfortable doing things alone, I know one day I will need other people to help me manage this publication. I have prepared this thinking since made decision creating a publication. Truly, willing to cooperate and make reoationship with others (editors) is a part of my "be open".
Reason 1: And now, as our audience and writers is significantly larger, we need editors to help publish stories of our writers on a timely manner and delight our readers with fresh contents.
Reason 2: I have also become aware of Be Open responsibility to present readers with high-quality content. As we accept new budding writers and also non native English writers, I need editors to polish their stories, assist them to produce readable pieces. I don't want to insist or to push these novist to be an excellent writers, I will let their writings as they are and letting them learn and grow with Be Open without feeling judged or under pressures to be a good writers, because even from a plain/naive writings, we can still learn somethings. I only need editors to make little corrections to their grammars, typos and writing format.
Reason 3: As an Aspie person who always can't handle multiple tasks at a time and also I'm a slow writer, managing a publication have been seizing my time/attention to be less productive in creating new pieces while I'm still craving for writings and explore any ideas.
Reason 4: Also, as my goal is not to replicate the general publications, I love to explore any experimental/special features that would allow/trigger writers to do their best work. My aims is to make Be Open a homy, different, friendly, more personal, and fun place to stay with, both for our writers and also our readers. And it seems this has worked really well.
This special features included curated stories through Our Best Discovery, Be Open Golden Stories, Be Open Platinum Stories and Featured Writers Page that writers find all those sections are really interesting and valuable.
Since Be Open created, I have to shoulder those various additional services we provide. To be honest, though need so much hardworks and times, I enjoy all the curation activities. I enjoy my dedication on the publication as long as writers and readers are happy with our services. But I know my capacity. I need others to do curation too for Be Open.
So, based on those considerations, from today, Be Open is inviting everyone to be volunteer Editor (+ Curator) on 6 months basis (If after 6 month you're enjoy with us, you can still extend your contribution).
What are the criteria to become an editor for Be Open?
These are what we're expecting from you:
1. Have at least 2 post created in be open
2. Excellent writing, reading, and fluent in English.
3. To have empathy, patience and compassion for writers, especially for new writers. You will be supporting many writers whose skills require help, some because English is not their first language , others because they are just finding a new path and are naive about writing for publication.
4. Being able to use Grammarly and other language tools (optional, very interpersonal skill editors may no need it).
5. Willing to do curation (will be explained in the next update)
6. Follow all Be Open rules/format and requirements when submitting their own stories to Be Open.
7. Open for new updates and become the first squad to support any of Be Open features or the updates (example; participate in prompt/writing challenge). They will become encourager for our writers to do so.
8. To socialize those new features/updates to writers while reviewing their story submission (see example in editor duties below)
9. As I'm new in writing and publication world, I may ask any help/advices from you (I promise will do it occasionally) :-)
10. Making a commitment of reviewing/edit/approve/publish at least 1 story submitted by our writers per day. (We’re still new. So, in one day you may only have to do curation for selected stories list as submission stock may have been reviewed and published by fellow editors).
What’s your duties/responsibilities?
Your responsibilities will include taking 5 to 30 minutes per day to work directly with our writers and to source stories for our curated content.
The more detailed duties: (several duties has been changed/removed! You can read the update in the link above!)
1. Taking time to work directly with our writers and their story submissions (including edit to publish)
2. To source stories for our curated lists (pick at least 1 story for Our Best Discovery, and 1 story for Be Open Golden Stories a day).
3. Providing help, feedback and advice to our writers regarding their writings and checking grammars and typos. Also suggest them to follow Be Open submitting format and requirements. You may need to remind writers to add featured image, enlarge/change so little image, add appropriate title and subtitle, positioning featured image under tittle, etc. We know some writers may not too elaborate or forget with our submission format and requirement.
4. To socialize new features/updates to writers. As new pub and still explore and experiment new things, you may need refer writers to our new updates while reviewing their story submission (example: Be Open will have Open Stories where all submitter should add a passage to one of our Open Story to be approved. Your duty may need forward/inform this to them through private note in their story submission as not all writers would recognize the new update).
Note: The detail of all duties will be explained to all editor after accepted.
How much editors we need?
Actually, as personal, I’m hesitant to bother others (editors) as it is a voluntary job. I don’t want to burden one or two editors doing the jobs, so instead recruit a small amount, I will open for at least 35 editors to help me doing editing and curation. (So each day, one editor may only need to review/publish 1 or 2 stories submission as picking some stories to add to Be Open Golden Stories list. Also searching at least 1 story outside Be Open to be included to Our Best Discovery).
What other benefits you may gain for become (Be Open) editor?
Though it’s a voluntary work, here are several benefits that still can be achieved depend on each editor.
1. You get that privilege to publish your own work.
4. You will read a wide variety of submissions which will be delighting, educating, unique and sometimes surprising! And may possibly give you rich inspirations for your next writings.
4. Opportunity to build your network and growing your followers base.
5. Strengthen and make new relationships with writers and readers by doing curation (Your name will be credited in each story you pick for Our Best Discovery and Be Open Golden Stories)
6. Improving your editorial skills
7. Using your skills as a reference for your freelancing jobs.
How to apply?
If you are interested to become editors (+curators) for Be Open publication and meet the criterias above, also willing to follow and to regulatory do the duties and take those simple responsibilities, we look forward to your applications. Just private note me; A Shayens Abran or comment below. You can also reach out me to email: [email protected]
Thank you, wish you all the best! :-)
A Shayens Abran
